Windber artist's paintings featured in calendar, book

November 16, 2011|By SANDY WOJCIK | Daily American Correspondent

Photo by Sandy Wojcik

WINDBER - — Windber artist, Julius S. Mehok likes to keep a low profile, something that may soon change by having his work printed on the 2012 Windber Coal Calendar by the Eurkea Coal Heritage Foundation.

Mehok, 87, a self-taught artist, has an extensive following with those who like his "folksy" oil paintings of the steel mills and coal miners. In fact, Robert F. Harbrant, of Delaware, whose wife is from Windber, became a fan of his when he spotted one of his pieces on display in a local bank.

"I saw his name on it and tracked him down," he said. "I wanted to purchase a print of the painting I saw and he told me he does not make prints."

Nor did Mehok have any records of the paintings he had painted.

"I thought that was criminal that he did not have a record of his own work," he said.

Harbrant set to rectify the situation by tracking down all his work, a process that took years, and published a book, titled "A Brush with History" a compilation of the oil paintings completed by Mehok from the 1940s to the present. Mehok started painting when he was 14.

"My mother took lessons before she was married and liked to paint," he explained. "After she was married she gave it up. We had six or eight paintings of hers."

He remembers taking a bus to the paint store in Johnstown to purchase supplies.

"The round trip ticket was 25 cents on the bus from where we lived in Mine 37," said Mehok.

The son of Mary (Joe) and John Mehok was one of seven children, the second to the oldest. He graduated from Richland High School and went into coal mines, later marrying Twila, who is now deceased, and raising her four daughters.

Mehok loves to paint early in the morning. He is never satisfied with his work, and may totally change a scene from one day to another. Harbrant said when he was documenting his friend's work, he would take a photo of the painting and come back the next day and it would be totally changed.

"I would say 'Julius you have to stop this if I'm gong to keep records of your work'," he laughed.

Mehok said he changes his paintings to "make them better." Even one of the paintings depicted on the calendar is no longer in existence because he painted over it.

Mehok said there would be days he would paint all day and not eat.

"My wife would say 'Do you want something to eat?' and I would say 'No, I have to get this done'," he said.

His work is not limited to mining and steel mills and has a number of paintings of scenery from covered bridges to railroads. In his modest home in Windber, he has a painting of a woman and a child making carpets, a scene that brings back memories to him.

"My mother used to make carpets on the loom," he said. "We used to make carpets for everyone in Mine 37. Everyone used to bring us rags."

Harbrant is retired from the AFL-CIO. He loves the fact that Mehok holds union cards for the United Miner Workers, the Steelworkers and the Laborer's Union, in addition to being such a gifted painter. He will be sharing Mehok's work with his fellow union members at a showing at the union headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mehok has had other showings. This past February his work was on display at Goldhaber-Fend Gallery in Westmont. He has also won a first place prize for a painting of his in a statewide competition more than 20 years ago.

Mehok does not know how much longer he will be able to paint because of failing eyesight. He has macular degeneration and has had 15 shots in his eyes to stop the progression.

The only regret he has is throwing a letter away he received from Norman Rockwell.

"I wrote him and he wrote back and I threw the letter away," he said.

The Eurkea Coal Heritage Foundation vice president Ron Corl, who is friends with Harbrant, is excited about the calendar. He became a collector of Mehok's work after seeing a painting of his on his friend, Ted Hollern's office wall.

"I saw a painting on Ted's wall and liked it. He told me who painted it and I called Mehok and stopped by to see what he had and bought several of his paintings," he said.

Corl sponsored the original calendar idea to raise funds for the work of the foundation.

"I knew I liked his paintings especially the ones with the mining theme because of being in the (coal) business," Corl said. He said on the calendar introduction that the 115 years of Windber, "were filled with activity, excitement, hardship, jobs, production and color and contrast. Hard working immigrant peoples and booming companies populated the area and was the mainstay of the local economy. It was a mixing bowl of cultures melted into a whole new culture with important contributions from all."

For those who want a calendar featuring Mehok's paintings of Windber, purchase one at many of the area businesses in Windber, or contact the Eurkea Coal Heritage Foundation president and local notary Sandy Pritt at her workplace.